Murder at Harry's Party
by thelilyofthelake
Summary: Harry's birthday party opens old wounds, and there are some unexpected guests. Then someone dies. Who killed the Boy who Lived? And why? Mainly Dramione
1. Chapter 1

**Draco**

I had been manipulated all my life. My mother, my father, my own Slytherins... It seemed everyone was out to get me.

It didn't help that Potter was out there winning the Triwizard tournament and kissing girls and just being Potter. And his friends... They were so different to mine.

And now I'm going to Potter's birthday party.

Kill me now.

**Luna**

Ginny was helping me out with the presents. She and Harry had gone out for a while before he started dating me, and as we had only been dating two weeks, I didn't know all his tastes yet.

Their relationship ended well. They decided to stay friends because there just wasn't, as Harry put it, "any spark anymore".

Anyway, I'm rubbish at wrapping, and Ginny's ace at it.

"Who's going?" Ginny asked, folding down a corner of the paper.

"Me, you, Ron, Hermione, Cho, Neville, Blaise and Draco."

"Malfoy? And Zabini?"

I nodded. Ginny looked disgusted, and I clapped above her head quickly, in case of any Water-crested Spagmilions, which are invisible sprites that cause disgust. If you don't clap around your head they could stay with you for life!

"Aren't Harry and Malfoy enemies?"

"Penpals." I say. Ginny's face turns even more sour, so I resume my clapping around her face.

"And Zabini?"

I smile. "Malfoy's guest, to encourage him to come. It was Harry's idea."

Ginny grins at me. "You're obviously besotted with Harry." She remarks, and then she hugs me.

**Ron**Harry's house was amazing. The walls were decorated with streamers and the table was set for nine. I wasn't the first, but I was surprised to see Ginny there. I thought she'd told me she wasn't coming. She must have changed her mind.

To be honest I was a bit mad at Harry after they broke up. Ginny had lusted over him for so long... And now they were nothing. And it didn't take him long to find someone new. He's hand in hand with Luna, who's welcoming everyone in. "Into the living room, Ron." She tells me. Then she tells me maybe I should hop there. "There seems to be a Pugilat in your aura. It causes people to look gormless."

I shake my head at her and walk into the living room. There's a long sofa where Harry is sitting, with Cho on his left and Neville on his right. Ginny's sticking mistletoe on the ceiling in random places, and Luna has drifted from her welcoming job and is telling her where to put it. Harry stands when he sees me, and wraps me into a huge hug.

"Good to see you, mate." I say, and he nods. I place my present with everyone else's and sit in one of the armchairs.

Then Hermione walks in.

**Hermione**Oh, this is just _brilliant_. Ron's here. I know I should be strong, but our breakup was horrendous.

He doesn't look too pleased to see me, either, and avoids my gaze. I decide to be the better person. Luna had just called Harry over and he's placing people's names over different seats. A seating plan. I pray that I'm nowhere near Ron, but Harry's tactful enough to ensure that happens.

"Hello, everyone." I say, hugging Harry and then sitting in an armchair opposite an empty one, far away from Ron.

He glares at me, and I smile back. I'm not going to ruin Harry's party, even if he does.

There seems to be nine places at the table, so I count who could be here. Harry, Luna, Ginny, Ron, Cho, Neville and me. That's seven. So who are the other two?

Harry always got on well with Ernie and Justin, so perhaps them. But I had the impression he hadn't talked to them since Hogwarts, so who knows?

Cho seems to be wondering the same thing. "Who's missing?" She asks, in her dainty voice.

There's a knock on the door.

Harry and Luna stride out the room to get it, and we hear greetings. I can't tell who it is. It appears it's two people, because Luna reappears holding two presents.

The three of them walk in. And my jaw drops.

It's Blaise and...

Malfoy.


	2. Birthday Feast

**Harry**

Ron practically foams at the mouth as Malfoy sits down in an empty chair facing Hermione. Hermione gets over her shock quickly, and greets him as if they are the best of friends.

Fortunately most others follow her lead. But not Neville and Ron.

Neville simply ignores him, but Ron actually gets up and points an accusing finger at his face. "What are you doing here?" He snarls.

"What do you think, Weasel? Attending a birthday party."

Blaise sniggers. Cho gives him a sideways glance.

"The table is set, everyone." I announce, and they all walk towards me. I thought the way I set the table was pure genius.

The table seats ten. I'm at one end, at the head of the table. On my left is Ron, then Neville, then Ginny, then Blaise. On my right is Luna, then Cho, then Hermione and then Draco. I kept Malfoy and Ron as far away from one another as possible. And Blaise and Malfoy are close to one another. Draco can be a little insulting so as Hermione is the best at dealing with him, I put her beside him. It won't be the best meal she's ever had.

The table is piled with food and everyone sits down as one. I hear Cho go, "Wow..." as Luna begins serving everyone. I smile at her, and she squeezes my knee.

Conversations begin to form around the table. Neville, Ron, Luna and I begin talking about household pets. Neville begins telling us about Trevor.

Looking down the table, it seems everyone is engaged in conversation. I smile as I see people putting aside their differences and getting talking. It's beautiful to watch.

"Harry?" Neville says. I apologise and tune back in to the conversation.

**Hermione**

Sitting next to Cho would not be my first choice. She's nice enough but she's just a little weepy and annoying. She never lets things go. She's trying to get me to talk about Cedric, even now. I get where she's coming from, I do. And she is allowed to bring up the past and talk about him. But does she have to? She dated him for a few weeks, a few months, if that. She shouldn't still be hung up about it.

Not many people know this but since school Malfoy - or should I say Draco - and I have been keeping in touch. We've been in correspondence, really.

It started when we went back in school to repeat our seventh year. Everyone ignored him, and he spent most of the year without anyone. Except for me.

I guess you could say I was his first real friend.

And I never thought I'd say this, but I'm actually quite happy to be sitting next to him. Rather him than Blaise.

And I kind of like the way he and Ron are at war. I think Ron and I might have to go our separate ways. The breakup was, as I said before, messy and I don't know whether he and I will ever really get our friendship back to the same footing, if I'm honest.

Draco turns to me. "So we're here." He looks like he doesn't know what to say.

A first for him.

Cho addresses Malfoy and asks him if he "still feels the weight of Cedric's death within him". I don't think she knows who he is. Draco just nods and turns to me and says, "If she's going to be like that through all this I think I'm going to need some more of that wine."

I smile. "Hear, hear!"

\-- timeskip --

It's time to get the cake. Luna exits the room and walks down the hall to get it from the kitchen.

She steps back in, holding it like a lifeline in her arms.

It's beautiful. Luna didn't bake it, but she did the decorating. She got Cho to bake it. She's really rather good at it.

It's in the shape of a lightning bolt - Harry's scar. Malfoy's going to have a field day with that one.

We all sing happy birthday and Harry blows out the candles and, presumably, makes a wish.

At the same time that Draco says, "Can't escape that bloody scar," to me, the lights go out.

Cho screams.

My hand grips the first thing it finds. The light comes back on.

I don't notice the body first. I notice that the first thing I grabbed was Malfoy's hand.

Then I see Harry, face down in the wonderful cake.

I bet that wasn't what he wished for.


	3. Dead?

**Hermione**

"Harry?" Luna says. She shakes him a little.

He doesn't move.

There's a knife in his back, the cake knife Harry was holding. So there probably wasn't any magic involved. I think about Muggle forensics. There could be fingerprints on the knife. Trying my best not to think about Harry, I point my wand at him under the table and mutter, "Posidiam Revilio."

A sealed box appears in my hand, with photographs of the fingerprints on the knife inside. Perfect. Now I just need to match them up. But this spell doesn't work on the living. I'm going to need them voluntarily.

I allow myself to slump in my chair, and let the emotions overwhelm me.

I start to cry. Luna's crying too, and so is Ginny. Draco turns to me. "Hey, Granger... It's okay. Its going to be okay."

"Is it?" I ask him, and he sighs. I know the real answer - _I don't know _\- but I let him convince me that it's going to be fine.

"Who did it?" Neville asks, his voice is strong despite his shaking hands. He scans the table, his eyes lingering on Malfoy and Blaise.

"I know it wasn't Draco." I say, but nobody hears.

He does. "You don't have to stick up for me, Granger; I can take care of myself." But his voice isn't harsh. "And I know it wasn't you, because..." he tails off, cheeks flushed.

Has Malfoy just... Blushed?

"Nobody moves until we work out who did this." Cho says, almost hysterical. Neville nods. Luna puts an arm around Cho.

"Let's start with the obvious outliers of the party, shall we?" Ron says, mock polite. "Malfoy, why'd you do it?"

He fumes beside me. I look Ron in the eyes, those beady little eyes, and speak up. "He didn't. I know he didn't." Ron rolls his eyes.

"Stop trying to protect him, Hermione. I know you hate me now but -"

"I got scared when the lights went out." I reveal, and most eyes are on mine. Ginny's looking away discreetly, mopping her eyes. "I grabbed at the first thing I could to make sure everything was still the same. I grabbed Malfoy. He didn't move."

Ron's eyes narrow and Blaise pipes up, "She's telling the truth. I saw a sudden flash of movement, someone grabbing something from around here." He points near me and Cho.

Nobody is listening to him but Malfoy and I. He looks at Malfoy and mouths something. Draco, looking troubled, nods.

He turns to me again, and lowers his voice." Granger, listen. I know you didn't do it and you know I didn't do it. This murder wasn't committed by magic but I know a Muggle way to retrieve fingerprints. It's a spell: Posidiam -"

"Revilio." I finish, watching his eyes widen. "And I already did it."

He looks at me, then, and grins. "You, Miss Granger, are a smart girl."

I cock an eyebrow, then look back at Harry.

If the Boy Who Lived can die, especially this easily...

Anyone can.

**Draco**

The feelings haven't gone away. I thought they might have done, but I was mistaken. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.

Her hair, bushy yet beautiful. Her eyes, crinkled when she laughs. Her speech and manner of talking...

I don't think I will ever stop loving Hermione Granger.


	4. Accusation

**Luna**

I knew we weren't supposed to get up. I knew I shouldn't leave the table.

I couldn't help it. Harry was dead. My love... Dead.

**Hermione**

Luna leaves the room, and I can't blame her. Beside me Draco leans close and whispers, "Look at Ron's face."

Ron looks almost demented with anger. Maybe that's how he expresses loss. Even with all the time we dated, I still don't know how to interpret his expressions.

Just shows we should've broken up sooner. Ginny said it, and at the time I dismissed her. But she was right. The whole of our repeat of our seventh year is the perfect example.

I don't reply to Draco's comment, but inside I agree. Ron irritates me so much now... I can barely stand him. How did I put up with him when we were dating?

Ron sees me looking. His eyes narrow. "Why is Hermione protecting Malfoy?" He asks, seemingly to no-one. "Because they planned this death together." He says.

It just hurts too much. I didn't kill Harry. I wouldn't kill my best friend. Hell, I probably wouldn't even kill Ron. I get up and follow Luna's example. As I leave I hear a bubble of voices, but I don't care anymore. I just need to be alone for a while.


	5. Break Up

Draco

That little git. Accusing Hermione, of all people. As soon as she left there was an uproar of voices protecting her. To my surprise I was one of them.

Ron backs down.

I get up and say, "I'll get her."

Neville says he'll get Luna.

I find Hermione, sitting on the stairs, crying. She's using her wand to flick the tears off her face and whirl them around her like a rainstorm. She stops when she sees me.

"Are you okay, Granger?"

"I'm just fine." She says sarcastically. "My best friend's dead, I'm being accused of murdering him and I'm sitting here, in his house, trying not to fall apart. Yeah, I'm brilliant."

"Granger." She looks at me, eyebrows raised. "Budge over."

She moves over and I sit beside her. "Okay, tell me what happened between you and Ron."

"I -"

"You're not getting out of this. So I wouldn't struggle."

She sighs. "Fine."

Hermione

We were close friends. Really close friends, as you know. In our fourth year I danced with Viktor Krum at the Yule Ball, and he got jealous. That night I realised how much I liked him. I thought the feeling would go away, but it didn't.

Soon enough we were in fifth year and nothing had happened. I attempted to let go of my feelings, to no avail. In sixth he started dating Lavender Brown, and later on I realised he dated her to make me jealous.We went looking for Horcruxes with Harry, and during that time Ron left us. When he came back he had destroyed a Horcrux, and following this he tried to make me less angry at him for leaving by agreeing to everything I said. I should have found it annoying, but it was endearing.

We got together during the Battle of Hogwarts. I was unbelievably happy. We repeated our seventh year and I should have known then. I should have known.

He didn't talk to me as much as he used to. And he started disappearing. I didn't know where he was going, or who he was going with. Throughout the year I would see him laughing by himself in the forest.

We dated for a year after that, and he didn't disappear at all for the last two months. He drunkingly told me that when he was disappearing earlier on in the relationship, it was to see Parvati Patil in secret. She wore the Invisibility cloak in the forest. That's why I never saw her.

I broke up with him the next morning, when he was sober. He spent the next few weeks begging for me to reconsider. It was awful.

I still loved him. But I don't anymore. To be honest, I don't think I'll ever love him again. Well, I know I'll never love him again. He hurt me too much.

"Hermione, that's terrible."

"I know." and I can't help it. I start crying again.


End file.
